Muggle Methods
by GirlWednesday
Summary: Used to be a one shot, but I've made it longer. Set after DH. Percy has been hiding away since the battle and George wants to change this and Percy soon notices a change in George, a problem that seems to be getting worse. The pair soon encounter an evil force powerful enough to make one of them lose themselves forever. Can anything be done to save them?
1. Chapter 1

The Burrow.

Percy couldn't remember the last time, he had called it home. Nor could he remember the last time he had wanted to be there as desperately as he did now.

He looked down at his hand, poorly wrapped in bandages. The wounds could have been quite easily healed magically. Somehow it felt wrong to do so, considering all the people who lost their lives mere weeks ago. An injured hand seemed like nothing in comparison.

He hadn't left his house for the past few days. His mother's words still rang in his ears. "Come home, Percy. We need you now, more than ever."

Percy shook his head. They had needed him when his father had been bitten by that snake, they had needed him when the truth about You Know Who finally came out and most of all Fred had needed him when that wall came down. Every time he failed to rise to the occasion.

Why should now be any different? He pulled the duvet over himself, blocking out all light.

Percy scrunched his eyes tightly together. Now matter how hard he tried, he couldn't block any of those thoughts out. As far as his family were concerned he had skipped out on nearly three years of their life and for that, he couldn't understand why they didn't hate him as much as he hated himself.

It was true that Percy had desperately wanted to make it up with his family. He had admitted to all his wrong doing, admitted that he had been a fool and vowed to fight side by side them in bringing down the darkest wizard of them all.

All of this was still true. He had been wrong, he had been a fool... but yet, was any of that really good enough?

"Nowhere near." He announced to the empty room.

The sound of crashing glass abruptly tore him from his thoughts. Startled, he threw the duvet off himself and looked over to the source of the sound.

The window had been smashed.

Percy climbed out of bed and confronted the person responsible. "The window was unlocked. There was no need for vandalism." He walked over to his brother, who was struggling to clamber into the room. "What are you doing here, George?"

Ignoring his brother's question, George pulled his wand from his pocket and pointed it at the glass. "Reparo." With that, the window returned to it's previous state. "Bloody hell, Perce. You've sure tightened security on this place, the Floo network is disconnected and I can't apparate in."

Percy's eyes were still transfixed on the rock that lay inches from the window sill. "So you decided to hurl a rock at my window and break in?"

George smirked, picked up said rock and inspected it. "You're feeling pretty stupid now. Aren't you? All those measures you took to keep people out and you were fooled by a mere rock."

"I admit that I hadn't accounted for such methods." Percy said. "It's all rather..."

"Muggle Like?"

"Indeed, although if you wanted to do things in the way of Muggle tradition, you could've simply knocked the door." Percy suggested. "I'd only cut off the floo network and prohibited appiration. There were plenty alternate ways of getting in."

"That could've saved some time. Climbing up here wasn't easy."

"If you'd have brought you broom you could've flown up."

"Why would I have needed my broom if you would've let me in through the door?"

Percy rolled his eyes. "Because you didn't have the intelligence to knock on the door."

"You always were one for the compliments, Perce." George painted on a look of mock insult.

"Are you here for any particular reason? Or did you just think you'd vandalise the place, insult me and go?"

"The only one that has been insulted is me." He pointed to the window. "And you must admit I fixed that window pretty damn well."

"You were the one that broke it!" Percy couldn't hide his exasperation. "It wouldn't have needed fixing if you'd have used the door."

"We could argue about who did what all day, but will we really reach any conclusion as to who was really at fault here?" He said. "Let's just admit we were both in some way to blame and agree to forgive and forget."

"But it was you that broke the window! I had no part in it, I was simply minding my own business when a rock came hurtling in." Percy felt his cheeks flushing red. He was a well mannered, upstanding citizen who wouldn't dare do something as reckless as hurling a rock. How could George suggest differently?

It takes two to tango, my dear Percy." George winked, loving every moment of his brother's unease."

"It takes two to what?"

George shrugged. "Dad went through a phase of learning Muggle expressions. Apparently it means that two people were involved. Or it was something like that, anyway."

"But two people weren't involved. How could you possibly say that I assisted you in anyway? I can testify beyond reasonable doubt that you acted alone!"

George laughed, and playfully whacked Percy on the back, almost knocking him over. "I'm joking. You are so easy to wind up, it's almost too easy."

Percy shook his head and sat back down on the bed. "Maybe I just don't get your humour." He darted his eyes around the room, trying not to face his brother.

George's smile faltered. He hated the way Percy had taken a complete U turn since his return to the family on the night of the battle. "Or maybe you just don't get humour?" George replied, annoyance beginning to show. "Has that thought ever crossed that narrow mind of yours?"

"You believe what you wish to believe." He looked down at the floor, focusing on a stain that marked the carpet. He mentally cursed himself for not noticing it earlier.

"I believe many things about you. You're arrogant, pompous, world's biggest prat even..." George found himself abruptly interrupted.

"How dare you insult me in my own home? Percy walked over his brother and pointed at the door. "Go back to the Burrow. You need to be around your family, at a time like this."

"And you don't?"

Percy took a step back, surprised. "And I don't?" He repeated.

"You say I need to be with my family, do you not feel like you need to be there too?"

Nervous again, Percy began to mumble.

"Sorry, didn't catch that." George said. He spoke several decibels louder than what Percy believed to be necessary.

"You're better off without me." He shouted with a tone that surprised even himself.

"That's not for you to decide." George argued back, his light heartedness from earlier was nowhere to be seen. "I'm never going to see my twin again and now you're telling me that I'm better off without my older brother as well? It's like being kicked in the balls twice!"

"Please refrain from using terms of that kind."

"Keep going! Pick me up on everything I've done wrong, quote some pathetic rule from some stupid book. I just want you to be my brother again."

"George I..." He trailed off, unable to find the right words.

George had seized hold of his brother's jumper and was now shaking him. "Why don't you listen to me...?"He demanded, becoming increasingly hysterical. "You said you'd come back. You said you'd come back..." He repeated it over and over until the words became incomprehensible.

"I am! I am listening." Percy placed a hesitant hand on his brother's arm and made a weak attempt of prising him off.

George blinked furiously. He wasn't about to cry. He had done that a lot recently since the battle, but not today, not now. "You're just so..." He shook him harder, as if somehow it would get the message in more effectively.

"I'm just so dizzy on the account of you shaking me in such a violent manner?" Percy offered. His glasses slipped off and landed with a light clunk.

George suddenly stopped and pushed Percy down onto the bed. He backed away and leant against the wall. "This was not how I planned this."

"How did you plan it?" He pulled himself up into a sitting position.

"I'd apparate in. Tell you that you have to come home and you'd agree without argument." He said. "When we got back home, mum would be so happy to have you back she's stop crying and we'd see her smile for the first time since Fred..." He stopped, winced at the name.

"Oh."

"Is that all you've got to say?"

"I don't know what else to say." He admitted. "I always thought that my family would always be here, even if we weren't talking or if I hadn't seen them in a while."

"We are still here."

"I'm talking about Fred. My younger brother is gone almost as soon as I'm back in his life, one moment we're joking together, the next..." He notes the pained look on George's face and stops, unable to continue.

"So you cut yourself off from the rest of us?" He crosses his arms to show his disapproval.

He shakes his head. "It's not like that. It's not like that at all."

"I don't think you what it's like, you don't know anything anymore." A bewildered look momentarily appears. "For once, Perfect Prefect Percy has no plan."

Percy couldn't disagree with that and neither did he want to. "I'm sor..."

"Stop right there. If one more person tells me that they're sorry, I swear to Merlin I'll..."

"You'll what?"

He shrugged, a look of defeat across his face. "Just don't apologise and you won't have to find out."

"Duly noted. I'll be sure to keep the S word out of future conversations, until you deem it acceptable for me to use it again."

"So, there is a possibility of future conversations?"

Percy went quiet again. George moved across the room and without waiting for invitation he took a seat next to him on the bed.

"Nothing is ever simple with you is it?" Percy remained silent. George reached into his pocket and produced a packet of sweets. "Want one?"

"No, thank you."

George pushed the bag right up into his brother's face and held it there.

"What are you doing?" Percy asked shifting over to avoid the bag.

"I'm offering you one."

"And I said no!"

George ignored his brother's sentence."Would you like a sweet?"

"I just said no!"

Once more, George repeated the question, pushing the bag up close again. He was refused once more.

"Percy, do you want a sweet? Percy, do you want a sweet? Percy, do you want a sweet?" Each time he asked, he became more insistent.

"Would you stop repeating yourself and take no for an answer?"

George removed one from the packet and dropped it on the floor.

"Pick that up!" Percy said in his prefect voice.

A second was dropped to the floor, followed by a third.

Percy dropped to his knees and began gathering them up. "Fine, I'll have one, just stop being so destructive." Slowly he began to remove the wrapper.

"I guess I'll leave now then. I realise I can't force you."

Percy diverted his attention from the wrapper and onto George. "You can't force me, no." He let out a sigh. "But I will come home. That is if you'll all have me?"

"Of course we will." He found himself smiling, the first genuine one since the loss of his beloved twin. "Pack a bag and we'll go."

Percy bent down and retrieved his glasses before unwrapping the sweet.

"Wait... there's no need to eat that." George panicked, moving to take it back.

"Its fine, it's obviously important to you that I eat it." With that, Percy popped it in his mouth.

George let out a nervous laugh. "I really hope we can laugh about this later, you must understand that I had nothing but good intentions, even if it was a little unorthodox."

"What are you talking abou..." Percy was unable to finish his sentence, his legs went weak and suddenly the room was out of focus.

George reached out and grabbed hold of him. "Oh bloody hell, we wouldn't have had this problem if you'd have agreed to come back sooner." He dragged Percy back over to the bed and dropped him onto it. "Don't worry though, this is perfectly reversible. Although there was that one time where a customer remained unconscious for a week but I'm sure that won't happen to you." He emptied the bag on the floor. "Ah, small problem these are actually only one half of the sweet." He explained to the unconscious form of his older brother. "With the old ones, we had it so one half made you faint and the other half reversed it, although that didn't work too well because usually the person was in no state to take the other half by themselves. So we made the other half separately, for a friend to keep hold of and give it to the person who fainted. Genius huh?" He thought for a moment. "Unless, the friend loses the other half, of course." Admitting defeat, George walked over to the bed and gathered Percy up into his arms. "I suppose I could just carry you? After all, you're not that heavy." He said, going red in the face and struggling to take the first few steps.

oOo

Percy awoke to find himself in a totally different room to the one he as last aware of being in. He heard the voice of his mother. "Arthur, Arthur he's awake."

"See, I told you there was nothing to worry about. Just as long as George is more responsible in the future, I see no reason why he should stop selling them."

Percy found his voice. "What exactly did he do to me?"

"They're called fainting fancies." A voice from the end of his bed said. He looked up and came face to face with George again.

"Fainting what?" He sat up.

"Fainting Fancies, they're part of the Skiving Snack Box range at the joke shop. Take one half and you faint. Once you've been let out of class, a friend will help you take the other half and you're free to have fun for the rest of the afternoon."

Mrs Weasley shot him a look of disapproval. "What were you thinking? Forcing it down your brother like that, I hope you're ashamed of yourself."

"I didn't force him. I may have used a bit of deception but it's not as if I held him down."

Percy placed a hand on his mother's arm. "Maybe just this once I can let it go? I'm just glad to be here."

Molly's eyes glistened. "You really mean that?"

He nodded and allowed her to pull him into a rib crushing hug.

Arthur leant over and lowered his voice so only George could hear him. "You've done a great think today, George." He briefly placed an arm around his shoulders. "These past few weeks have been the worst, but I promise you, this will get better."

To his surprise, George didn't doubt his father's words. He looked over at his older brother. "I hope so, Dad."

Molly pulled away and gestured to the door. "C'mon, boys. Percy has had quite the day, he must be exhausted."

"I really don't mind, I want to be here with you all." Percy interjected, more aware than ever before of all the catching up that was to be done.

"We'll just be downstairs. You sleep for now."

He reluctantly agreed. "Very well, if you believe it to be for the best."

With one final glace at her third eldest, she gave a smile and left the room, Arthur trailing close behind her.

George got to his feet, only to be stopped in his tracks by Percy calling after him. He turned.

Percy held up his hands. "My hands they were quite badly burned and covered in bandages."

"I fixed that for you, a simple remedy that Mum kept downstairs did the trick quite nicely."

"Oh... well thanks. That was good of you." He replied, touched.

"There's no need to look so surprised. I don't know why you left them in that state for so long anyway, they were seriously manky."

Then there was silence.

Sensing that his brother had nothing more to say, George changed the subject. "Earlier you said that you and Fred were sharing a joke? I must say that does come as a surprise."

"Oh, yes. It was..." He trailed off, unable to think of the right word.

"How about you give it another go? I'd like to witness this rare phenomenon of Percy Weasley cracking an actual joke."

Percy furrowed his brow in concentration. "Right okay... I think I've got one." He cleared his throat. "How many squibs does it take to change a light bulb?"

George shook his head. "You can't be serious. That one is seriously lame, I mean in terms of terrible joke, that's up there with why did the hippogruff cross the road?"

"In that case, I'll have a bit of a rethink."

George placed a firm hand on his shoulder. "You do that and I'll see you downstairs, later."

Percy reached out and took hold of his arm. "Wait, I just wanted to ask you if you were free tomorrow."

George nodded. "Nothing planned, no."

"Come to Hogsmeade with me? We can have some fire-whiskeys in the Three Broomsticks; get something to eat in Honeydukes, maybe?"

Once more, George found himself smiling. "Yes, I'd like that and I could show you the business."

"I look forward to becoming reacquainted with these Fainting Fancies."

"If you like them, just wait until I show you the puking pastels and nosebleed nougat." He said, thinking of all the pranks he could possibly pull on Percy the next day. "You know, Fred had a list as long as my arm of all the merchandise that he wanted to try out on you."

"Really?" Percy couldn't hide his look apprehension.

"Don't worry, I'll go easy on you." He made his way over to the door and paused just before he exited. "Although saying that, we really should honour Fred's wishes to a certain degree." With that, he was gone, leaving Percy alone.

Percy pulled the blankets over himself and lay back in the bed.

He really was glad to be home.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hi all, I know this was originally meant to be a one shot but I had a lot of ideas come to me and I thought it would be a shame not to get them down.**

Percy found himself being shaken awake. Disorientated, he reached over to the bedside table and retrieved his glasses. "What time is it?" He focused his eyes to find it was George who had awoken him.

George placed down a bag on the bed. "You didn't have a chance to pack last night, so I went back to yours and threw some stuff in."

"Thank you, I'm sure it should be fine." He leant over and pulled it towards him.

"Get dressed and meet me at the breakfast table." With that, George sent his brother a wink and apparated downstairs. Shortly after, Percy heard a startled shriek belonging to his mother.

He sighed to himself. How could George carry on like this, when Percy was finding it hard so hard to see a way forward?

oOo

Down in the kitchen, George got to his feet and shuffled away from his mother who had a stunned look on her face.

"Sorry, Mum." He said, looking extremely embarrassed.

"What have I told you about being careful when you apparate? You're getting worse!" Molly's warning was unconvincing. She no longer had the same flare that she used to.

Before George could reply, Arthur ran into the room, closely followed by Harry and Ginny. "Is everything alright? I heard screaming."

"George apparated onto my lap." Molly replied.

Harry put an arm around Ginny. "He accidentally ended up in the bathroom whilst I was in the bath." He said to no one in particular, cringing at the memory.

"I offered to scrub your back whilst I was in there." George sat down at the table and made a blind grab for the first piece of food that was there. "It's not my fault that you're easily embarrassed."

Molly and Arthur exchanged concerned looks. Neither said anything.

Ginny looked at her parents and crossed her arms. "Well?" She narrowed her eyes in disapproval.

George looked up from his breakfast. "Well what?" He asked through a mouthful of toast, spraying crumbs in the process. "What's up with your face?"

Ignoring George, Ginny looked at her parents again. "Are you just going to stand there and say nothing?

George interrupted." Say nothing about what?"

"About whatever it is that is going on with you! We only lost our brother a few weeks ago and you're making out like everything is fine, when everybody knows that you're not!" Ginny shrugged Harry's arm off and walked closer to the table. "You think you're fooling us but you're not."

George diverted his eyes away from her. "Fred wouldn't want us to fall apart." His voice was barely audible.

"You're not exactly holding it together." She turned her attention to her mother. "Did you know he feel off his broom the other day? He couldn't take off and when he did, he fell straight back down."

Harry intervened, hoping to keep the peace."Maybe he just needs a new one?"

"There's nothing wrong with the damn broom stick, it's him!" She raged. "He's been splinching himself and everything."

Molly look horrified. "Georgie, is this true?"

"I obviously didn't splinch myself deliberately." He waved a dismissive hand. "I may have left a little bit of myself behind, last week, but it wasn't anything to worry about."

"C'mon George, you've got to admit it was more than just a little bit." Harry reasoned, looking wary. "It's nothing to be ashamed of. We're all struggling to get back to the normal since..." He stopped himself. "Well, you know how it is."

"Harry, you're getting way too deep here. We've all been there, making small mistakes whilst apparating."

"Small?" Ginny despaired, furiously shaking her head. "He left both his legs, an arm and the remaining ear behind. The Accidental Magic Reversal Squad had to be sent out to fix him.

There was a moment's silence. Arthur looked his son up and down, taking in this new piece of information. "You never used to be this careless, son." He paused, carefully thinking about what he would say next. "Tell you what, I'll take a trip down to the apparition centre and ask them if it's possible for you to take some extra lessons."

Molly nodded. "Yes. That could help."

"I don't need any extra lessons; I passed my test years ago." George argued back, irritation beginning to show through in his voice.

"And now you're not able to do it without getting splinched or ending up where you shouldn't be!" Ginny said, her voice breaking.

"Okay, I admit that I've become a little..." The sound of feet walking down the stairs brought the conversation to a close.

Percy peered around the doorway. "Is everything alright? I heard arguing."

Ginny turned. "Maybe if you'd been here more, you'd know."

"I'm back now."

"For how long this time, until something better comes along?"

Percy desperately tried to hide the look of insult on his face. He failed. "I understand that you're grieving, Ginny, but..." He thought for a moment, unable to finish his sentence - when he looked at her again, there were tears brimming in her eyes; a mixture of frustration and heartbreak. "Oh Merlin, don't cry. I didn't mean to make you feel this way."

She wiped at her eyes. Of recent weeks, Ginny had reminded herself of Cho Chang shortly after Cedric Diggory's death. She too had found herself bursting into tears over the littlest of things at any given moment.

"I think she needs a moment alone." Harry took hold of her hand and guided Ginny towards the door. "It's not you, Percy. It's just the whole situation." With an apologetic look to the rest of the family, Harry closed the kitchen door behind him and Ginny.

Frustrated, Molly threw a tea towel down on the table. "Do you see what you're doing to your sister, George?"

"I splinched myself, it's not as if I murdered anyone."

"What's this about splinching?" Percy spoke up.

George placed his fork down and pushed the plate away from myself. "That's nothing for you to worry about, older brother." He placed a hand on his shoulder. "Are you ready for today?"

Percy looked over to the closed door. "Do you think I should talk to Ginny before we leave?"

"I wouldn't, if I were you." Arthur said. "She'll be alright later on. She just needs time."

Percy looked unconvinced. "Right, okay then." Hoping to change the subject, he turned his attention back to his younger brother. "Should we get going?"

Molly stepped in."You're using the Floo network." Her voice was stern and left no room for argument (at least not off Percy, anyway.)

"Have you got a fireplace in the shop, George?" Percy asked.

"Yes, but we're not children, if we want to apparate we'll bloody well..."

"Do as your mother tells you to." Arthur interrupted.

George sighed and without a word to his parents he pulled Percy out of the room. "I never use the Floo network."

"Let's just do it, to put mother's mind at rest. She's obviously concerned about us using apparition." He looked thoughtful. "It's only natural that she should be feeling protective after everything that has happened."

They paused by the fire and started preparing.

Arthur entered the room, hoping to reason with his son. "George, you must understand that your mother is only trying to do her best for you. There's no shame in receiving extra lessons, it will do you good."

"I don't need extra lessons and I don't want to use the Floo network."

"I know it can be frustrating, but until you have improved, it would be safer to use the Floo network."

Percy stepped in before George could protest. "Father, I have a compromise."

"A compromise?"

"Yes, a compromise." Percy gestured to his bare feet. "George didn't pack me any shoes when we came here last night. So, how about if we side apparate back to mine, we'll then use the Floo network to get from my place into Hogsmeade?"

A look of outrage was clear to see on George's face. "I'm not side apparating."

"Then it's the Floo network, or nothing." Arthur attempted to sound as no nonsense as Molly did when she was talking to their kids. George muttered under his breath and reluctantly took hold of Percy's arm.

"Don't worry, Father. I'll make sure he's alright."

"I'm still here. Don't talk about me as if I'm not in the room." George said. "Of course, I'm going to be alright. " He added as an after thought, trying to convince his father.

Arthur mustered a weak smile, that wasn't fooling anyone. "Of course you are, son. Just be careful, okay?"

George merely nodded.

Percy took a firmer grip of George's arm. "Are you ready?"

"Ready." He confirmed.

Arthur and the rest of the Burrow soon disappeared from sight and within seconds they found themselves stood in Percy's bedroom, where they had been less than a day ago. George found himself feeling dizzy and he clung to his brother for support.

"Are you alright? You look like you're about to faint."

"I'm fine." He insisted, becoming increasingly pale by the moment.

Percy tilted his head to the side. "What's wrong? It's as if you've never done this before." He held him up for a few seconds, unsure of whether to let go.

"Just get off I'm ..." Before George could finish his sentence, he leant forward and was sick over the carpet.

"That's odd, most people vomit the first time, but it's very rare for it to happen after having the level experience that you have." With a flick of his wand, Percy cleaned the floor. "Not to worry though, it's easily cleaned."

George wiped his mouth, embarrassed. "I just ate breakfast. I guess we should've left it a bit later before we went." He let out a laugh, more of an attempt to convince himself than Percy.

"Yes..." Percy mumbled. "That's probably what happened. I'll get my shoes and we can prepare the Floo network." Just as he was about to take a step towards the wardrobe he found himself distracted by the sight of shattered glass sitting on the window ledge. "George, didn't you fix that yesterday?"

George looked over to where Percy was pointing. "I did! It must of have just been kids that broke it or something like that."

"It's a possibility that the spell didn't hold, that can happen sometimes."

"Not to me." George insisted. "I'm telling you, something else re-broke that window after we left."

Percy offered no reply. Instead, he reached into his pocket and produced his wand.

"Stop!" George reached over and pushed Percy's arm down. "I fixed it yesterday; I can fix it again, today."

Percy put the back in his coat pocket. "If you must."

George lifted his wand and pointed it determinedly at the glass. "Reparo." The glass rearranged itself back into shape, however -unlike the day before, it didn't look as good as new. In fact, the glass looked so fractured that it was impossible to see out.

"George... how about you let me...?"

"No." He lifted the wand again. "Reparo." It was possible to see out. Yet, one large crack, right down the middle, still remained.

Percy shifted awkwardly from foot to foot, biting down on his tongue in restraint.

George wasn't about to give up. "Reparo." He smiled, almost as if nothing had happened at all. "There you go. I told you I could fix it."

"Yes you did." He took a breath. "George... Has this ever happened before?"

"What do you mean has this ever happened before? There's nothing wrong with me, the window must have some sort of magic repellent on it."

Percy knew this not to be true. He could remember having it installed. The salesman had reassured him that in the event of a breakage the glass could be easily mended by the Reparo spell. "Let's just go to Hogsmeade, forget all about it?" In truth, Percy didn't want to forget all about it.

"Yes and if I were, next time you get a new window, try a more reliable company – you know like the one just around the corner from the Hog's head?"

"That's actually where I..." He stopped himself. "Okay, I'll bear that in mind for next time." Percy lit the fire and the emerald flames began to burn brightly. "You first." He passed the Floo powder over to his brother. "I'll follow on, after I've found the appropriate footwear."

George stepped into the fire place. "Weasley's Wizard Wheezes." With that, he disappeared into the flames leaving Percy alone.

A shattering noise could be heard from behind. Percy turned to find that the window had once again fallen apart.

He sighed to himself and reached for his wand. "Reparo."


	3. Chapter 3

Percy stepped out of the fireplace and into the shop. He looked down at the ground to see his brother clutching at his elbow. "What happened?"

George adjusted into the sitting position. "Nothing, I just didn't tuck my elbows in."

"You're lucky you didn't lose an arm." Percy furrowed his eyebrows, making sure he looked as stern as possible. "First rule of Floo travel, tuck your elbows in as close as you can." He offered out his hand and helped George to his feet. "Let me look. It could be broken."

"It's not broken." He insisted, moving further into the shop. "So, what do you reckon?" Percy noticed an immediate change in his voice, the pain in his elbow seemingly forgotten.

He took a moment to take in the surroundings. The word chaos immediately sprung to Percy's mind. Already he could see three health and safety violations. "Well it's certainly..."

"Amazing?" George offered.

He gave a reluctant nod. "I suppose that could be a word to use."

George moved over to the door, letting in the three customers who were waiting outside.

A young boy of about fourteen entered first. He was wearing the Slytherin colours and holding a box of opened Canary Creams. The boy wasted no time in the exchanging of pleasantries and dived straight into what he wanted to say. "You said that these would turn anyone who ate them into a canary."

"That's right." George pointed at the label. "It says so, right there."

The young boy made no attempt to hide the sour scowl that was becoming evermore prominent. "Well they don't work. I planted them on some first year Hufflepuffs and nothing happened."

"You're just some kid after a refund. Do you think I'm honestly going to fall for that?"

The young Slytherin turned to face the two girls that were stood behind him. He pointed to the smaller one who was wearing a bobble hat and a woollen jumper. "You."

She took a step back, stunned. "Me?" She had a small squeak of a voice.

"Yes you." He snarled and reached into the box. "Eat one of these."

"I... I don't really want to."

He forced it into hand. "Just do it, its not as if anything is going to happen."

"Stop this now." Percy intervened, the prefect within him taking over. "Bullying will not be tolerated within this establishment."

"Bullying? I've been ripped off by this joker." He pointed an accusing finger at George. "I just want my money back."

George took the canary cream out of the girl's shaking hand. "Listen, kid. There is absolutely nothing wrong with these. They were only made last week."

"Oh really?" To prove his point, the boy reached into the packet and shoved five creams into his mouth at once, chewed furiously and swallowed.

"Bloody hell, you're not meant to eat that many at once." George panicked. "You'll be sprouting feathers for weeks."

He placed his hands on his hips. "I wouldn't count on it."

After several long and uneventful seconds had passed, Percy spoke up."How long does it take to work?"

George studied the young teen for a moment, looking for any signs of yellowing. "Well... it should've happened by now."

"Ha!" He turned to face the two girls, a look of insufferable smugness in his eyes. "He thought he was right, but I showed him."

Percy steered George towards the counter and lowered his voice so only he could hear. "Just hold it together, don't let him see he's got to you." Once they were at the till, he looked back over to the boy. "Right, there's obviously been some sort of manufacturing error here. For that, we apologise and we'll give you a refund."

"I should hope so. Biggest wasted of three galleons, I've ever spent."

George pushed his finger down onto the open button of the till. "Just take the bloody money and get out." He slammed the galleons onto the counter with more force than what was entirely necessary.

Satisfied with his the trouble he'd caused, the boy grinned to himself and pointed his wand at the counter. "Accio." The coins flew into his hand and he walked out looking extremely satisfied with himself.

Taking a moment to compose himself, George looked over at the girls who were still lingering by the door. "Come on in, Girls." He pointed at the red and yellow scarf wrapped loosely around their necks. "Those from Gryffindor are always welcome."

The taller of the two, lightly prodded her friend who was still clearly shaken from the encounter. "Go on, Emily."

Percy looked at Emily and gave her an encouraging smile. "There's no need to be worried, a Gryffindor needn't be in fear of a joke shop." Percy wondered if he had been successful in his joke. "Talking as former head boy of your house, I'd say that this place has many items that would suit the tastes of each and every house member."

Her cheeks flushed a bright crimson and she looked downwards. "My aunty says the sorting hat must've been mistaken when it placed me in Gryffindor. She says I'm too shy to be worthy of such a house and that Hufflepuff would've been a better choice."

"I'm sure that's not true." Percy said. "After all, the sorting hat is known for its impeccable judgement."

George nodded in agreement. "My brother's right. All of our family got sorted into there, even our brother, Ron."

"Harry Potter's best friend?"

"The very same." Percy confirmed.

"Wow." Emily relaxed into a smile.

"So, how about you tell us what brings you here today?" Percy walked over and crouched down to her height.

"Well uh..."

"No need to threat. You can tell me."

She lowered her voice to a whisper and produced a packet of Fainting Fancies. "I only wanted to use them to get out of potions, but they..."

"Have they not worked too well?"

"I'm sorry." She nervously bit her lip. "They didn't work at all. Is it my fault?"

Her friend spoke up. "Of course it's not your fault." She looked over at George, who was, by this stage, looking very bewildered. "It says on the packet that they have immediate affect and nothing happened!"

Before George had a chance to reply, Percy spoke first. "I took one yesterday and found them to be very powerful. I was out for a good few hours."

"The ones Emily took weren't enough to make her drowsy even." Although she was talking to Percy, her eyes were focused accusingly on George.

Emily apologised once more, looking desperately at the ground, semi hoping that it would open up and swallow her whole.

Percy held out his hand. "Let's have a try."

"Are you... are you sure?" Emily stuttered, taken aback by his request.

"If what you are saying is correct and I don't doubt your honesty, then I should be fine." He took the bag and helped himself. He waited for a moment and as expected, no changes occurred. "No dizziness, no weak legs and no apparent spinning of the room."

"I only made them last week." George stated.

Percy turned his attention back to his brother. "And when was the one I took made?"

"I don't know, a few months ago, maybe?"

Reluctantly, George reopened the till and produced the right amount of change.

Unlike the Slytherin boy, Emily walked up to the counter and took the money herself. "I'm sorry." She whispered.

"It's not you fault, kiddo." George attempted to sound cheery.

Emily's friend cleared her throat to get their attention. George let out a hefty sigh. "Let me guess, you need a refund too?"

"These were meant to make my hair change colour." She held up the packaging that contained said product."I came out in a rash and couldn't leave my dorm for days."

"Oh dear, well that just won't do." Percy sympathised. "George, we better give her a refund."

George passed the money to Emily. "Give this to your friend."

She nodded and made her way back to where her friend was.

"C'mon Emily, lets get out of here." Emily was left with no time to protest as her arm was roughly grabbed and she was lead out of the shop. "This would never have happened in Zonkos!"

Percy locked the door behind them and flipped the sign so it read closed. "How about you take the day off today?"

Ignoring his brother's suggestion, George opened a draw and pulled out a small bag. "I need to feed the Pygmy Puffs." He made a B- line for the cages, barely looking at his brother as he did so. "Remind me to stock up on this stuff, they get through it quicker than I can buy it. I know I shouldn't feed them so much, but they give me this look and then I feel bad for not giving them what they want." He paused, a saddened look on his face. "Fred was always the strict one when it came to these little guys."

Percy swallowed back the lump that had suddenly formed in the back of his throat. It suddenly dawned on him just how much the shop would remind George of his twin. "I'm proud of you, George." His words surprised even himself.

"Come again?" He looked up from the cages.

"I know you didn't get as many O.W.L.S as what Mother would've desired, but I see now that you have worked hard at this place, to make up for your lack of educational achievement, and for that, I'm proud of you."

"Blimey, Perce. What came over you?"

"I'm not sure." He admitted. There was a moments silence before he spoke again. "What happened with those products can be easily fixed. How about I help you?"

George raised an eyebrow. "You? Help me make products for this place?"

"Why not?"

Keen to avoid the subject, George reached into the cage and produced a pink Pygmy Puff. "I just can't seem to sell this one." He smoothed down the fur on the Pygmy's head. "I don't see why not."

Percy took a moment to inspect. "Are you sure it's alright? It looks like it hasn't been bred in the same way the others were." He pointed to the eyes. "I mean look, I don't mean to sound discriminatory towards it, but its eyes are red." He thought for a moment. "It's a bit off putting."

"Nonsense, she's great." George placed it in Percy's hand.

Percy held him at arm's length. "Take it back, George. I don't feel..." Before he could protest further, he felt the sharp sting of a tooth sinking into his finger. "Dear Merlin!" He let it drop to the floor and it scuttled underneath a pile of boxes in the corner of the room.

"Percy! Help me find it."

Percy clutched at his finger, desperately trying to stop the bleeding. "It bit me!"

"This has ever happened before, their teeth aren't meant to be that sharp."

Before Percy could respond the Pygmy Puff emerged once more, looking all the more savage. It seemed twice the size and evermore bloodthirsty. It lunged straight for Percy once more, sinking it's fang like teeth into his leg. "Get it off me!" Percy shouted out, desperately kicking his leg.

George pointed his wand,"Stupefy, stupefy, stupefy." He repeated the spell over and over, until the words became mumbled and incomprehensible. The familiar jet of red light was nowhere in sight and the creature remained firmly attached to his brother, moving away from his leg and taking a large chunk out of his arm. Throwing his wand to the side, George picked up a stool and hit it as hard as he could. With that, it released it's vice like grip on Percy and lay motionless on the ground.

"Percy remained where he was, taking deep breaths.

George shook him. "Percy, talk to me."

"Get it in a cage." Percy gasped. "Get it in a cage!"

"It's dead. You're going to be alright, it can't get to you now."

"Cage...cage, put it in a cage, and lock it away, George. Do it before it gets you too." Percy became more and more insistent.

George scooped up the dead Pygmy Puff and isolated it in a cage. "There, there you go. It's dead, it won't do anything now."

"It's..." Percy found himself interrupted.

"It's just a savage Pygmy Puff. The breeding was a bit off." George reassured, placing his hand over the wound on Percy's arm.

"Do something... George, it hurts." Percy said, struggling to breathe through the agonising pain.

George hooked his hands under his brother's underarms and clumsily pulled him to his feet. "I'll take you home, Mum will have something for it and you'll be fine." He looked down at his wand that lay in a pool of Percy's blood. Right now, it was nothing more than a useless stick of wood to George.

"She can't do this to me! I will not die!" Percy said in a voice that wasn't quite his own.

George abruptly turned his head. "What was that?"

"She wanted to let me go. They told her there was nothing more they could do for me; they said I was evil beyond measure." A dead look was in his eyes and his tone of voice had an undertone of burning hatred in it. "I'll show her! I'll show her!" He was practically screaming now.

"Percy stop this!"

Percy pushed George away from. "Hands off me, blood traitor. I'm free now, all these weeks cooped up in that cage, being mauled by your filthy treacherous hands." Fury burned like a destructive fire in his eyes. "She must know!"

"Who must know?" George asked, fearful.

Percy let out another agonised gasp and dropped to the flood, unconscious.


	4. Chapter 4

_**3 years ago:**_

_Madeline Redveil paced anxiously, the dark mark burning furiously on her arm. Her master needed her and she would be there for him, without question. She would serve him; she would follow his every command, hang on his every word and die for him if it was required._

_Thirteen years she had waited for his return. She had been patient, she had remained viciously loyal and most of all, Madeline had sacrificed plenty. It didn't matter to her. Nothing mattered except him, she lived to love him. Everything she did was in his honour._

_She was at his mercy and loved every inch of it._

_Madeline liked the way it consumed her and took over her life. She didn't care that it hurt; she wanted to suffer for her passion for her obsession. At least then, he would truly know how loyal she was to him._

_She hated Harry Potter in the same way he did. Madeline had never met the boy in her life, yet every waking hour, she fantasised of his downfall. Every night in her wildest dreams she saw her master finally defeating him. She saw the young boy's body fall to the ground in defeat and every time, she and the other death eaters would roar with laughter, celebrating the long overdue yet well deserved triumph._

_A flash of burning light shot out from behind her. She could smell burning._

_A cold voice could be heard."Madeline. You came." _

_Madeline looked down at her feet; a length of her dark hair lay on the ground. She reached up and found the rest to be just above her shoulders. She turned to face the voice. "It was too long anyway, master. I thank you."_

_Voldermort let out a mocking cackle. "You think I can't tell when you are lying to me?" You're unconvincing; pathetic and unworthy of being my follower."_

_Madeline threw herself to the ground, landing next to his feet. "Please my lord, forgive me." She began to sob. "I did not intend to be dishonest; my trust in your judgement is unwavering."_

_Voldermort stepped away from the sobbing woman. _

_"It's been many years and you have not doubted my comeback, whilst others gave up and denied me, you were different, Madeline." He said. "But your emotions, they rule you."_

_Madeline sniffed and looked up at the one she adored so much. "My emotions are all for you, master."_

_"Lies! You lie to me again!" He pointed his wand and roared. "CRUCIO!"_

_Madeline landed flat on her back, screaming out in agonising pain._

_"CRUCIO, CRUCIO, CRUCIO." A look of glee flashed in Voldermort's eyes, relishing in her pain. _

_"Master, please, no." She yelled out, a look of pleading in her eyes._

_"I show no mercy! You as my faithful follower should know that." He pointed the wand at her one more time. "Is your love only for me? Does your heart beat only to serve me?"_

_Madeline became increasingly hysterical."It beats only for you, it does master. I live and breathe to serve you!"_

"_CRUCIO." He shouted once more. "You, Redveil, will tell me the truth."_

"_My love for her remains." She finally admitted._

"_As I suspected, your love for this child is holding you back." He lowered his wand. "You can never be fully dedicated to me whilst she still remains."_

"_Please, Master. She is away from me; my sister, she took her away from me!" Madeline scrunched her eyes together. "But, I killed my husband for you. He did not support you, so I eliminated him!"_

"_And what of the child? Why is she still breathing?"_

"_She wasn't treacherous like her father! She was too young to pick sides, why should she die for a crime she had not committed?"_

"_I have been watching this child, she was placed in Griffindor." He spat the words out, as if they were a poison._

_Madeline bowed her head in shame. "It was my husband's house." Her voice was barely a whisper. "Forgive me, for I was weak. Her death was one thing I could not have on my conscience."_

_Voldermort paused. "You, Madeline Redveil, can be redeemed."_

_Shocked, she jerked her head up and looked him in full in the eyes. "You'll forgive me?_

_Voldermort nodded. "On the condition you devote your life to me and you lose those feelings for this child." He raised his wand to her chest. "You make me this promise and I will be sure that you keep to it."_

_Madeline furiously nodded. Yes, Master. I'll do anything for you master." She took hold of his hand. It was freezing, but not as cold as his heart. "I make you this promise and I will keep to it." A jet of blinding light shot out of Voldermort's wand, it penetrated through her chest and carried out a merciless attack on her heart. It twisted itself around the vital organ, pulling it in every direction and burning it black._

_His job done, Voldermort took a step back from Madeline, who lay panting on the ground. "You won't need it anymore."_

_She raised her hand to her chest. Mere seconds before, her heart rate had been pounding – now there was nothing, just an eerie stillness. "What did you...?"_

"_Whilst your heart was beating for her, you couldn't be a loyal servant." He stared at her, and for a moment, she was convinced he could see deep into her soul. "From now on, your heart beats for no one, but me." _

_He flicked his wand and she felt her heart beat once more and with a second flick, it was gone again._

"_But how, master?" She asked. "How am I still alive?"_

"_You underestimate my powers once more! Whilst I am still powerful you shall remain living, however if I should be defeated or you should cross me, then make no mistake, you shall die a slow painful death."_

"_You're keeping me alive." She gasped._

"_Yes, Madeline. I have you under my full control." Voldermort held her gaze. "You're eyes are green."_

"_Yes, my lord." She agreed._

_Voldermort lifted his wand and focused it on her eyes. "Those are the colour of Harry Potter's." He kept the wand focused, until her eyes changed from an emerald green to a blood red. "That's much better. Now, you shall join me in bringing down Harry Potter."_

_Madeline smiled. She was free from the love that held her back and now she was fully his. "Master, I would be honoured."_

_Voldermort nodded. "You are no longer telling me lies." With that, he gestured for her to follow and they walked off into the night._

oOo

**Present Day:**

George took a cautious step towards his brother before falling to his knees beside him. "Percy, wake up." He shook him. Without a warning, Percy sat up and opened his eyes.

George gasped and moved away from him. "Your eyes..." He continued backing away.

Percy stared through him.

"They're red. They're fucking red!" He shouted out, hardly masking the fear in his voice.

Percy stood up and blinked. With that, his eyes returned back to their normal colour. "George?" He asked, pretending to be confused.

George pointed to his eyes with a shaking hand. "You were just... but you were..."

"I was what?" He asked innocently, as if nothing had happened.

"Nothing... it was probably just an adverse reaction to being bitten." He breathed a sigh of relief and pointed to the fire. "C'mon, let's get you home. You gave me quite a fright; I mean you should have heard the things you were saying."

Percy laughed; a loud booming laugh that echoed off the walls. "I don't know what you mean. Of course, you're right, that Pygmy Puff must have been infected with something that sends people crazy." He looked down at himself. "It was obviously only temporary, because now I'm fine!"

"What happened to your laugh?" George wrinkled up his nose. "You never laugh like that."

"Nonsense! This is the new me, George." He said. "It's time for a new start!"

George said nothing.

"Look at your face! I really had you going there."

George stepped into the fireplace. "I'm taking you home, now." His tone was stiff. "You follow on after me." He picked up a handful of Floo Powder. "The Burrow."

Once he was sure, George was out of sight; Percy knelt down next to the Pygmy Puff's cage and unlocked it. He picked it up just as it was stirring. "Oh, would you look at that, you're cute again." The Pygmy now looked just like all the others. Its teeth were no longer sharp and its eyes were no longer red. "Thanks, fluffy. You've been very accommodating." Percy's voice had gone; replaced by a woman's feminine accent.

Percy pulled his sleeve up, to reveal the Dark Mark, freshly scratched in by teeth marks. "I'm quite the artist." He winked at the Pygmy in his hand. "Of course, those teeth were excellent and for that, I let you live."

Fluffy squeaked and squirmed in his hand.

"Yes, I'll take good care of you. After all, I wouldn't kill my child's favourite pet." He coughed and his voice returned to it's original masculinity. "Right, I better get used to this voice." He placed Fluffy into the cage with the rest of the pygmy puffs and stepped into the fire place. "Until next time, Fluffy."


	5. Chapter 5

Madeline Redveil had determination. Voldermort had always said that she underestimated him.

Yet now, it would seem that he had been the one who underestimated her.

Yes, Voldermort had had a strong will to live, but so did she.

So now, as she stood staring at herself in the mirror, she knew that the lengths she had gone to stay alive had been enough to rival her master's. She spoke to the owl perching on the window sill. "I must say, I think my old human body was more attractive." She said. "Although, at least I no longer have fur and live in a cage." With another look at her features, she scowled. "This red hair is doing nothing for me."

There was a knock at the door. "Percy, can I come in?"

"Yes, come in." She replied, pleased with her ability to talk exactly like the boy she had captured.

A young girl, who she immediately recognised, entered the room. It was the girlfriend of Harry Potter. So surely that must mean...?

"I just wanted to apologise for earlier."

Madeline forced a smile. She had no idea what this girl had to apologise for, but she figured that Percy might be a forgiving kind of person. "Say no more about it."

There was a pause before Ginny spoke again and changed the subject. "Harry is using the Floo network to talk to Ron. He and Hermione are having a great time in Australia; they found her parents and put their memories right." She said. "They were a bit shocked to find that they had sold their house and moved over there, but now they've gotten used to the idea, they're thinking of staying on a little longer."

"Harry Potter is here!" Madeline bit down on her tongue, mentally cursing herself for sounding so surprised. "I mean ... uh, I thought he went out. Yes, that's it. I thought he said that he was going out for the day...when I saw him earlier."

Ginny raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure you're alright? George said you were acting weird after you were bitten by a Pygmy Puff." She walked over to who she thought was her brother and felt his forehead. "You don't seem to have a temperature, but maybe we should take you to St Mungo's and let a healer look at you."

Madeline shook Percy's head. "No, no need for that. After all, it was just a Pygmy Puff, those things are tiny, right?"

Ginny nodded, her eyes brimming with tears.

_Oh Damn_. Madeline thought. _Why the hell is this girl crying? Was this Percy the kind of person to comfort her?_ She reached out and patted Ginny on the shoulder. "Something I said?" She asked, finally deciding to speak.

"Oh, Percy." Now she was fully sobbing, her head rested on Percy's shoulder and clinging to his waist, as if she never wanted to let him go again.

Madeline wanted to push her off, but she knew she had to play along. She uneasily shifted Percy's arms and pulled Ginny in. "Its okay." She offered. Madeline hoped to Merlin that Percy wasn't the kind to make emotional speeches, because that was a department she was seriously lacking in.

"It's not okay, Percy. It's far from okay." Ginny sobbed harder into his shoulder. "I just miss him so much, so, so much."

_Who did she miss? Was this girl talking about a beloved family pet, a family member?_ "Well, yes, I get that. I mean, when he left, it was just awful."

Ginny sniffed and looked up into her brother's eyes, little knowing that he wouldn't be looking back. "Tell me what happened."

"What happened when?"

"When he died, Percy. You were there, you saw it happen." She took a deep breath. "I know that none of us have dared ask, but I really need to know, was it painless or did he suffer?"

Madeline couldn't help but feel panicked. "Oh yes, yes that happened."

"Which one was it, Percy?" Suddenly Ginny's voice had gone from heartbroken to irritated. "I'm not a little girl, I can take it."

A voice, over by the door, that wasn't Madeline's or Percy's answered her question. "He wouldn't have felt a thing." The voice continued. "He was still smiling when we pulled him out of the rubble. It happened so fast, I doubt he even realised what was happening."

Harry Potter.

The boy who lived... No, the boy who killed her master, the boy that tore away the greatest wizard she had ever known, and here he was, stood boldly before her.

Now that she had seen him, she stood frozen, transfixed on him. Her fury was so great that it had rendered her paralysed. Madeline watched as the young girl collapsed into his arms; he stroked her hair and whispered words that Madeline couldn't quite hear. After a while, Harry looked over in her direction and addressed Percy. "I understand, you know, when I think back to that night, the grief is crushing, we lost Tonks; Remus, Fred and so many others. Sometimes I get so angry about it all and others I just feel guilty... so damn guilty."

Ginny took hold of his hand and clutched it tightly. "You have nothing to feel guilty about, Harry. You set us free from him that night." She blinked away the stray tears and nuzzled into his neck. "You were so brave that night."

"And what about all the others? They were brave too, they all deserved to live! None of them deserved to die like that, not for me and not for anything or anyone else."

"They died for the good of Wizardkind. The future generations will live without the fear that we had. Years from now, our children can grow up safe and happy." Ginny placed a tender hand on his cheek. "When that time comes, we will honour each and every one of them."

Madeline shoved her clenched fists into Percy's pocket and felt the smooth wood that was his wand. She furled her fingers around it. She wondered if it would obey her. Would it perform Avada Kerdava and Crucio like her old wand did?

How dare they talk about her master's death like it was a good thing?

She wanted to fire curses at them until they begged her for death, but even then, she felt like it would never be enough. Nothing ever seemed enough when it came to avenging her master. Madeline took deep breaths. _Not now,_ she told herself. She would wait until the moment was right and then Harry Potter would pay the highest price for his crime.

There was a light knock on the door; however, unlike the young girl, they waited for no invitation to be let in. George looked around the room. "Oh Gin, have you been crying again?"

"Where have you been?" She said, ignoring his questions.

He gestured to Errol, who he was carrying on his shoulder. "The owls need feeding, don't they?" He held up the small bag of feed he had been holding.

Harry looked down at his shoes.

"Thinking of Hedwig?" Ginny asked.

"I still expect her to fly in through the window." Harry sighed. "Did you realise it's been a month today, since the battle?"

Madeline winced, realising that she had spent a month of her life trapped in the body of Fluffy the Pygmy Puff. She thought about her master, knowing, that he himself, wouldn't have been afraid to have done something like that.

George spoke in Ginny's place "And soon it will be two months and then three months. We still lost the people we lost that night. How is counting the days, weeks and months going to make it any easier?"

Harry swallowed back the lump that had formed in the back of his throat. "I just..." He thought for a moment, it wasn't often he was lost for words. "I just need to..." He found himself interrupted by Ginny.

"I understand." She reassured, before shooting a look of warning at George. "Even if he doesn't." Her voice had a cold edge to it.

George held his hands up. "I'm not trying to upset anyone."

"Well, you have."

Harry painted on a false smile, attempting to salvage the situation. "Listen, I'm fine. George is right."

"I'm not trying to make this any harder for you, mate."George said. "We all miss them."

Madeline nodded, thinking about her master laying dead. "Some deaths were just worse than others."

Ginny reached over and took hold of Percy's hand. Madeline resisted the urge to snatch it away. "Somebody needed to say it, Perce." She looked over at George and Harry. "We can grieve for the others, but Percy is right, it was losing Fred that's making us feel this way."

Madeline wanted to crush Ginny's hand in a vice like grip. "Yes, Fred's death really hurt." The words were like a bitter poison in her mouth.

A crash was heard from downstairs.

"Looks like Dad finally found out how to turn on that Muggle artefact." Ginny almost smiled, almost but not quite.

Harry took this as a cue to leave."C'mon, we'll help him clean up whatever mess there is." He held the door open .

"Are you two going to be alright?" She asked her brothers.

"Don't worry about us." George said. "We'll take care of ourselves, isn't that right, Perce?"

Madeline nodded. "That's us, if there's one thing we're good at, it's being alright." She twisted Percy's mouth into what she hoped was a convincing smile.

Reassured, Ginny left to follow Harry.

George remained where he was stood, his eyes fixed on Percy. "I was thinking, you should probably feed Hermes." He made a point of stroking Errol and passed over the bag of owl feed.

"Oh, I'm sure that you would be much better..."

George quickly interrupted. "Go on, feed Hermes."

Madeline stuck an uneasy hand into the bag and seized a handful of the food. Percy Weasley had probably done this countless times. She needed to be exactly like him. "Come here, Hermes. I've got some food for you." She placed the food under Errol's beak and he began to eat.

George narrowed his eyes. "I said, feed Hermes." He pointed to the owl, who was perched on the window. "Now, surely, after owning that owl for the amount of years that you have, you would be able to tell him apart from other owls." George was suspicious. He couldn't ignore what Percy had said in the shop.

Madeline let out a laugh. "Now, surely after being raised in a pure blood family, you would be able to perform a simple spell to save your brother's life." She continued. "How does it feel? You're a squib now!"

George shrugged his shoulder and Errol flew away. "Do you want to say that again?"

"Are you threatening me, squib?" Madeline was quickly gaining the upper hand. "Your poor brother, lying defenceless on the floor and you could have helped him, but your powers failed you." She laughed again, taunting him. "You should've heard yourself, how many times do you think you said Stupefy before you had to use that stool?"

"What's happened to you?" He walked closer and seized hold of Percy's shoulders.

"I think the questions here is, what's happened to you?" She held his gaze, unafraid. "What can you do now? There's no place in the wizard world for squibs like you, you might as well go and live with the Muggles."

Rage built up inside of George. He raised his fist and slammed it against his brother's jaw, sending him to the ground. "What have you done to my brother?" George threw himself down on top of Madeline and seized hold of her. "C'mon then, what is this?"

Madeline looked over George's shoulder and then she was grinning. A devilish smile, that looked horribly out of place on Percy's face.

This only served to anger George further and he began to shake her. "What the bloody hell have you done to my brother?"

"Mum, make him stop." Madeline said, talking over George's shoulder. "I don't know what's wrong with him, he just came at me."

George quickly turned his head and found Molly stood in the doorway, hands on her hips and a scolding look on her face.

"And what do you think you're doing to your brother?" Her tone was sharp.

"Mum, there's something not quite right with him." George began, desperately trying to explain.

"I will not have one son, attack another." She shouted out, louder than what she initially intended.

"It was only yesterday that you carried him back here and now look at you."

"He's not himself! In the shop, after he was bitten, he was saying all these things and his eyes they were..." He paused and looked into Percy's eyes, hopelessly looking for any signs to prove his theory.

Molly was no longer listening. She moved around George and wrapped her arms around who she thought to be her son. "There you go, Percy." She inspected the area where George had hit out. "You'll be fine, I can't promise you won't be left without a bruise though."

Madeline rose to her feet. "Don't worry, Mum. I know George didn't mean it."

"Did you hear that? He called you Mum." George exclaimed. "He never calls you Mum, it's always Mother."

Molly was no longer interested. Her limit had been well and truly tested."Oh do be quiet, you've caused enough trouble for one day, young man."

"But..."

She raised her hand. "No buts... Go now, to your room."

"You can't tell me to go to my room anymore." George argued back. "I won't be going anywhere, until I found out what has happened to Percy."

Madeline altered Percy's expression to show a wounded look. "Why is he talking like that?" She looked at Molly. "He's been acting weird since we got home, accusing me of being someone I'm not."

Before Molly could reply, George interrupted in an explosive rage. "And what about all the things you just said?" He looked back to his mother. "He called me a squib, said I should go and live with the Muggles!"

"Percy, is this true?" She asked, in clear disbelief.

Madeline merely shook her head.

Molly roughly took hold of George's sleeve and pulled him towards the door. "That's it, young man. You've had your chance." She pushed him out the door, closed it behind him and locked it with her wand. Ignoring George's furious knocking, she focused her attention on Percy. "I need to know what happened, Percy. I'm worried about him." Her voice was barely a whisper.

The knocking became increasingly louder. "Get out from there, Mum. You can't be alone with him!"

Molly turned. "Just go downstairs and we'll talk when you're thinking more clearly."

Madeline leant in closer. "Mum, I think you should be seriously worried about him." She paused for a moment. "I couldn't help but notice he'd lost his magical ability, maybe we should..." She stopped, shook her head. "No, forget I said anything."

"No, go on, say it." Molly prompted.

"Maybe you should consider checking him in at St Mungo's, after all it's the best place for wizards who have gone... well I needn't say it."

Molly glanced back at the door, a horrified look on her face. "No, I couldn't possibly." She said, keeping her voice as low as she could manage.

"I don't want to either, but under the circumstances, maybe it would do him good."

George began kicking the door. "I swear to Merlin, I will break this damn door down."

"That's hardly the behaviour of a rational person, is it?" Madeline said.

Without a word more, Molly pulled open the door.

George reached out and pulled her away from Madeline. "Just step away from him, Mum." He said. "We'll contact the ministry and tell them what has happened. They'll come over and..." He found himself cut off.

"We'll do no such thing!"

Desperate to be heard, George raised his voice even higher. "Mum, we need to help Percy."

Molly pointed to where Madeline was stood, who by this stage had painted on an extremely innocent but admittedly un - Percy like look. "Your brother is stood right there. Look at him, he's fine!" She could barely mask the exasperation in her voice.

George furiously shook his head. "You weren't there, Mum. You didn't see what I saw, one minute he was himself and then... he..."

"And then I what?" Madeline asked. "Go on, what happened."

"You know damn well what happened."

Molly placed her hand on George's cheek. "Georgie, you need to stop this. You need to stop it right now because you're really worrying me now." Tears glistened in her eyes. "I knew all along that you weren't coping, I should've done something sooner."

"No Mum, I'm not cracking up." George defended. "You know what it was like, you know what happened to people."

"It's all over now, Georgie. You hear me? It's over!"

George looked over at Madeline. "That's not my brother."

"Who am I then?" Madeline resisted the urge to laugh.

"You tell us!"

"C'mon now, George." Molly attempted to calm him down. "Let's take you downstairs, we'll get you a Fire- Whiskey and you can have time to think about how ridiculous this all sounds."

"Don't you give a damn about him? You've already lost one son and now you're standing back and letting it happen to another!"

"I would never let him come to harm." Her tone was firm. "Believe me, if there was anything wrong with Percy, I would be the first to know about it."

"But you are! Every second you stand here arguing, you're letting him come to harm."

Ignoring his statement, Molly guided him towards the stairs. "C'mon now, your brother has just been attacked, he doesn't need you shouting like this on top of all that."

George tugged his hand away. "Just let someone from the ministry look at him."

"I don't want to be paraded in front of some strangers, like I'm some sort of freak show." Madeline interjected, altering Percy's voice to one of insult.

"And that won't happen." Molly reassured. "Just close your door, Percy, and I'll take him downstairs."

"I'm not leaving him up here, alone" George said.

"Oh yes you will." She pointed to the staires. "Get down them."

Madeline pushed Percy's door closed and listened on for a minute or so as Molly and George argued. Eventually she heard the thudding of footsteps and she was alone upstairs.

She reached into Percy's pocket, pulled out his wand and looked over at Hermes. "It's actually not bad." She ran her hand along the smooth wood. "Of course, mine was far superior, but as wands go, this isn't half bad."

The owl glared at her.

"What's up with you?" Madeline began speaking in her own voice. "Missing Percy Wercy, are you?"

Hermes let out an angry hoot and flew at her.

Madeline ducked out the way of the furious owl. "Bad move, owl!" She lifted up Percy's wand. "I think I'll test this out. How about we start we start with my favourite spell?" She muttered the words; a jet of green light shot out of the wand and with that, Percy's wand became Madeline's.

oOo

Molly entered the kitchen with a reluctant George trailing behind. "Arthur, we need to talk about something." She turned back to her son. "All of us, we all need to talk."

George shook his head. "We don't need to talk, we need to act!"

Ginny, Harry and Arthur looked up from the table.

"Talk about what?" Arthur asked.

"We need to..." She trailed off and looked at what the trio had been working on. "Why is the clock off the wall?"

Harry tapped it with his wand. "It seems to be broken."

Molly shook her head. "That can't be possible, not once has it let me down."

"Well, we can say that Percy is definitely in his room." Ginny said. "The only way for it not to broken is if we go up there now and he isn't up there."

"I don't understand it myself." Like Harry had done, Arthur tapped his wand with it. "Like you said, this thing is never wrong."

Before anything more could be said, George pushed by them and made a grab for the clock. His mouth fell open in shock and he held it up for Molly to see. "Now do you believe me?" He pointed to Percy's hand. "Lost! He's lost, Mum."


End file.
